Thursday, June 26, 2008

2006 Matahiwi Pinot Noir

Region: New Zealand
Country: Wairarapa
Alcohol: 13%
Price: €12,00
Closure: Screwtop

This wine has been produced by Matahiwi Estate from Wairarapa. At 75 hectares Matahiwi Estate is one of the largest family-owned estates in the region. Located on the Southern tip of the North Island of New Zealand, Wairarapa was "discovered" as a wine possible wine region in the 1970's making it quite a young region. It contains the Martinborough sub-region home to some of New Zealands best Pinot Noir producers among others Dry River, Ata Tangi and Palliser.

This wine is a 100% Pinot Noir produced from a variety of clones and rootstocks (over 40 I read somewhere) grown at the Estate. The Pinot Noir variety makes up the 30% of the vines with the remaining 70% being Sauvignon Blanc. Here's what I thought of the wine:

Typically of Pinot it is quite light red in colour. Attractive, youthful and quite pronounced nose with the ripe cherry fruit along with some earthy tones. The same ripe, soft, young cherry fruit on the palate along with smokey oak. Not complex but a well balanced wine with good acidity. A nice length completes a really attractive wine that is lovely drinking right now.

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